Numbers 8:20

20 And Moses and Aaron, and all the multitude of the sons of Israel, did upon the Levites those things that the Lord commanded to Moses. (And so Moses and Aaron, and all the multitude of the Israelites, did with the Levites those things that the Lord commanded to Moses.)

Numbers 8:20 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 8:20

And Moses and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children
of Israel
The several parties concerned in the consecration of the Levites: these did to the Levites according unto all that the Lord commanded Moses,
so did the children of Israel unto them:
which, as Jarchi notes, is said to the praise of them that did it, and of what was done by them; everything was done that was ordered, and in the manner in which it was prescribed; Moses sprinkled, or ordered to be sprinkled, the water of purification on them, and set them before the tabernacle, and before the Lord; the children of Israel laid their hands on them, and Aaron waved them, offered the sacrifices for them.

Numbers 8:20 In-Context

18 And I took the Levites for all the first begotten (sons) of the sons of Israel; (And I took the Levites in place of all the first-born sons of the Israelites;)

19 and I gave them by free gift to Aaron and to his sons, from the midst of the people, that they serve me for Israel, in the tabernacle of the bond of peace, and that they pray for them, lest vengeance be in the people, if they be hardy to nigh to the saintuary. (and I gave them as a gift to Aaron and to his sons, out of the midst of the people, to serve me for all the Israelites, in the Tabernacle of the Covenant, and to make amends for them, lest vengeance come upon the people, if they be fool-hardy enough to come near to the sanctuary.)

20 And Moses and Aaron, and all the multitude of the sons of Israel, did upon the Levites those things that the Lord commanded to Moses. (And so Moses and Aaron, and all the multitude of the Israelites, did with the Levites those things that the Lord commanded to Moses.)

21 And (so) the Levites were cleansed, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron raised, or presented, them in the sight of the Lord, and he prayed for them, that they shall be cleansed (and he made amends for them, to purify them),

22 and should enter to their offices into the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace, before Aaron and his sons (and then they entered into the Tabernacle of the Covenant to perform their service, before Aaron and his sons); as the Lord commanded to Moses of the Levites, so it was done.